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Edinburgh Zoo Animals: 10 amazing animals you can still see now the giant pandas are gone

Edinburgh Zoo[1] was first opened to the public in 1913, when it was called the Scottish National Zoological Park, and since then has provided a fun and educational day out for millions of families from around the world. It was the brainchild of Edinburgh lawyer Thomas Hailing Gillespie, who founded the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland[2] in 1909 which, in turn, purchased the Corstorphine Hill site from Edinburgh Town Council in 1913. Gillespie modelled the zoo on Hamburg’s Tierpark Hagenbeck in Germany, which replaced the traditional steel cages with open enclosures that more resembled the animals’ natural habitat.

A visit by King George VI in 1948 led to the prefix ‘Royal’ being added to the society’s name and it remains the only zoo with a royal charter in the UK. Some of the zoo’s most famous residents were added in January 1914 when three king penguins[3] arrived, supplied by the Christian Salvesen whaling expedition which docked in Leith. The zoo made international headlines in 2011 when Tian Tian and Yang Guang arrived from China – becoming the first giant pandas to live in the UK for 17 years and instantly becoming the zoo’s star attractions.

This year saw them return to China, but there are still plenty of other amazing creatures to see. Here are 10.

Instantly recognisable by their golden eyes and the distinctive tails that give them their name, the ring-tailed lemur are endemic to the large island of Madagascar - as are are all five families of lemur. Children will know them from the animated film Madagascar and the lemur character King Julien, voiced by Sasha Baron Cohen.

1.

Ring-tailed Lemur

Instantly recognisable by their golden eyes and the distinctive tails that give them their name, the ring-tailed lemur are endemic to the large island of Madagascar – as are are all five families of lemur. Children will know them from the animated film Madagascar and the lemur character King Julien, voiced by Sasha Baron Cohen.

The giant pandas may have gone back home to China, but you can still see their smaller cousins at Edinburgh Zoo. Red pandas are actually that closely related to gaiant panda (so distant cousins at best) but similarly come from China and enjoy eating bamboo.

2.

Red Panda

The giant pandas may have gone back home to China, but you can still see their smaller cousins at Edinburgh Zoo. Red pandas are actually that closely related to gaiant panda (so distant cousins at best) but similarly come from China and enjoy eating bamboo.

Originally from India and very similar to the more common African lion, the zoo has two Asiatic lions called Jay and Kushanu. Don't be surprised if they are asleep during your visit - they are only active for around four hours a day.

3.

Asiatic Lion

Originally from India and very similar to the more common African lion, the zoo has two Asiatic lions called Jay and Kushanu. Don’t be surprised if they are asleep during your visit – they are only active for around four hours a day.

The zoo has a variety of species of apes and monkey, but their 15-strong chimpanzee troop are arguably the most popular with visitors. They live in the Budongo Trail, an inovative enclosure big enouigh for 40 animals which has lots of vegetation, a huge climbing frame and a number of different rooms featuring a range of heat and light conditions.

4.

Chimpanzee

The zoo has a variety of species of apes and monkey, but their 15-strong chimpanzee troop are arguably the most popular with visitors.

They live in the Budongo Trail, an inovative enclosure big enouigh for 40 animals which has lots of vegetation, a huge climbing frame and a number of different rooms featuring a range of heat and light conditions.

References

  1. ^ Edinburgh Zoo (www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com)
  2. ^ Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (www.scotsman.com)
  3. ^ penguins (www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com)

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